h him without looking round, for she
must keep the exact course. When they had gone far enough, Roland
unfastened the boat, and sailed back with the current.

He gave a humorous account of the helmswoman's rule over her husband,
but Eric led the conversation to the candidate Knopf. Roland was not
inclined to say anything more about him, nor to speak of his previous
tutors, who were evidently regarded by him with as much indifference as
is a yesterday's waiter at a hotel, or a discharged servant. Who will
ask about people whom they have dismissed? It was only apparent, from
some words dropped by Roland, that this candidate must have had a warm
affection for his pupil.

Mention was made, also, of the dwarf, and Roland took it very coolly
that he had turned out a rascal, for he regarded all poor people as
rascals.

Eric had gained in this sail a new and deeper knowledge of his pupil;
pity was now added to the love he felt for the boy, who had so early
acquired a contempt for the world, and who appeared to have no person
and no thing to which he clung inseparably, and the thought of which
gave him new inspiration. Only with his sister did he seem to have any
real bond of affection, for as they were approaching the villa, he
said:--

"Just as I am now walking with you, Manna is walking with Herr von
Pranken. I think that you and Manna, when she comes, will also be good
friends."

BOOK III.

CHAPTER I.

THE SUBTERRANEAN CALL.

A fragrant strawberry glistens on the ground, beautiful to the eye, and
luscious to the taste. If there were some method of seeing, or even of
hearing, what was going on at the root of the plant, we might perhaps
be able to discern how the ammonia, homely, and of very pungent odor,
turned up conceitedly its nose, as much as to say, What indeed would
all this be without me?

The potash, on the other hand, brightly glistening and sweet-smelling,
is under no necessity of saying anything, for its very appearance says
already, All the scientific men of the upper world speak on my behalf.

And the hard, silicious earth, in its comfortable repose, might be
understood to say, I am an aboriginal inhabitant, and what do these
transient fellows want? To-day here, and to-morrow gone; I have already
lived through a great deal,--everything goes by fashion.

The maggot-worm grubs at the root, blinking w